


For the Nights I Can't Remember

by salty_nico



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Fluff, Get Together, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, kind of????
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-14
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-12-02 05:31:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11502771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/salty_nico/pseuds/salty_nico
Summary: When Will's boyfriend dumps him, he doesn't expect to fall in love so quickly, much less with his best friend. (Inspired by The Changing of the Seasons by Two Door Cinema Club)





	For the Nights I Can't Remember

**Author's Note:**

> Written for patroklosandachilles on tumblr as their gift for the 2017 Feast of Fortuna Event. Thanks to the organizers for arranging this event!

It was June. Will found himself at the counter of the Earl Club, sitting alone on a slow Thursday evening. The poignant scent of whiskey and wood polish overwhelmed his senses, dulling the warm summer twilight into a sluggish blur. Foggy memories of auburn hair and sickly sweet lips drifted through his mind as he downed another glass. 

He barely registered the sound of the door bursting open, and the loud thudding of footsteps that followed. A familiar voice pierced through his addled state, “Will? Will, it’s me, Nico, are you alright?”

Will shifted his gaze to Nico. He could make out the angular plains of his face and loose strands of dark hair falling into his eyes. Despite his dismal predicament, warmth filled Will’s chest. “Nothin’ to worry about,” Will slurred. He forced a smile, “I’m doin’ just fine.”

Nico glared at him. “Solace, you aren’t fine. Piper said you broke up with Mitchell and then the next thing I know you’re here and you’ve already drank an entire bottle.”

“More like half a bottle,” Will said. 

Nico rolled his eyes and pushed the glass out of Will’s reach. “We’re going home.” His tone indicated the issue was not up for debate. He slung Will’s arm around his thin shoulders and pulled him upwards. Will was unsteady on his feet, swaying dangerously as Nico assisted him out the door. He dragged him down the street, past flickering neon signs and mobs of people bubbling up from the subway. 

They managed to make it around the block to Nico’s apartment, and several flights of stairs later, Will was deposited on the couch while Nico disappeared into the kitchen. Spots danced across Will’s vision, and scraps of 18th century poetry about love and lies pounded in his head. 

Nico returned several moments later, carrying a blanket and a glass of water. He placed the cup on the coffee table and draped the blanket over Will’s body. “Mitchell isn’t worth this kind of pain, Will,” Nico said, seating himself on the edge of the couch, beside Will’s legs. 

Will focused his bleary eyes on him. “I loved him, Nico. I loved him so much.” 

Nico sighed and scooted closer. “What exactly happened between you two?”

“He cheated on me,” Will replied. He worried the hem of the blanket between his fingers, “A couple days ago, I came home from the library a couple hours early. I figured studying could wait a day, and I could do something nice for Mitchell. When I got to the apartment, he was making out with another guy in the kitchen.” By the time Will finished, the threads of the blanket were unraveled and frayed, and his face shined with tears. 

Nico placed his hand on Will’s thigh. “You know, if he can’t see how special you are then that’s his loss.”

“But I saw how special he was, and I loved him for it. How am I supposed to move past that?” Will said in a quavering voice. 

“There are lots of other people out there who you will love,” Nico answered. A fond smile crossed his face, “And they will love you a whole lot more than Mitchell loved you.” 

~

~

~

It was October. A crisp autumn breeze laced with tidings of winter whipped through the open window of Will’s apartment. The downy texture of the shag rug he laid on cushioned his body. He turned his head to look at Nico, whose dark hair spread around his face like a smear of ink against the clean, white material. The air was acrid with the sharp scent of spices rising from the burning candles on the nightstand.

“I can’t believe you actually think those things smell good,” Nico said, wrinkling his nose.

Will rolled onto his side and propped his head up on his arm. “If you don’t like them, why do you always come over here?”

Nico rolled his eyes. “Because you’re lonely and have no one else to keep you company. Speaking of which, you aren’t still pining over Mitchell, are you?”

Will sighed and shook his head. “No, but I haven’t exactly made progress in my more recent romantic endeavors either.”

Nico sat up. “What about that girl in your anatomy class? Or the boy you met at the coffee shop?”

“The girl has a boyfriend and the boy turned out to be an asshole,” Will replied. 

“Their loss then.” Nico scooted closer to Will.

Will laughed and smiled. “You always know exactly what to say in these situations, don’t you, di Angelo?” 

Nico flushed. “You’re my best friend, I’m just trying to help you. If it’s any consolation, I haven’t had sex in a year, and the last time I tried going on a date the guy turned out to be a drug dealer.”

“I’m hoping these two incidents aren’t related,” said Will. 

“You’re an idiot.” Nico rolled his eyes and punched his arm playfully.

Will stared at him with softness in his gaze. “Do you remember what you told me about how there will be a lot of other people who love me?”

Nico’s muscles tensed. “What about it?”

Will hesitated. His eyes remained fixed on Nico, taking in the sharpness of his cheekbones, the warm brown of his eyes, his lean, pale figure. Will’s heart pounded in his chest. Every nerve in his body felt like it was singing with electricity. 

“Will?” Nico raised an eyebrow. 

Will snapped out of his stupor. He shook his head, “N-nevermind, it was nothing.”

Nico’s eyes lingered on Will for a moment before he flopped onto the carpet and continued to rant about the scent of the candles.

~

~

~

It was February. Will was once again dumped across Nico’s couch, surrounded by half-eaten boxes of discount chocolate and crushed bouquets of wilting roses. Snow blew past the window in a horizontal blur. The room was silent except for the crackling of logs in the fire and the sound of paper crinkling. 

Will turned his head to look a Nico, who was laying in a pile of discarded candy wrappers and ribbons at Will’s feet. “You didn’t have to do this, you know.”

“Yes I did, you’re my best friend. It’s my job to comfort your lonely ass on Valentine’s Day,” Nico said. 

“Technically it’s the day after Valentine’s Day,” Will reminded him. 

Nico glared at him. “Smart-ass.” 

Will laughed and slid off the couch to join Nico on the floor. “Thank you.”

Nico flushed. “Don’t thank me, I already told you this was obligatory,” he said. 

“So you do have a heart.” Will grinned and scooted closer to Nico so that their shoulders were touching. 

Nico rolled his eyes. “If anyone here is heartless, it’s you, Solace.”

“How dare you make such an accusation!” Will exclaimed. He pressed a hand to his chest, taking mock offense. 

“Hey, I’m not the one who ruthlessly murdered a spider in my apartment,” said Nico, smirking. 

Will threw his hands up defensively. “Nico, it was a spider! It was kill or be killed!”

Nico laughed and rested his head on Will’s shoulder. “I would’ve never pegged you for a killer, what with your colorful clothes, dimples, and perpetual optimism.”

Will smiled and closed his eyes. “The best killers are often the ones you’d never expect.” Nico hummed in response and they fell into a comfortable silence. 

“Will?” asked Nico, breaking the quiet.

“Hm?” Will answered.

Nico peered at Will’s face. His eyes were still closed and his dark lashes casted shadows across his freckled cheeks. His tousled golden curls contrasted sharply against the gray New York City winter. 

“You haven’t pursued anyone since you broke up with Mitchell, right?” Nico bit his lip. 

Will opened his eyes and stared at Nico, confused. “No?”

Nico sat up and moved so that he was sitting across from Will. “D-do you mind if I try something?” His tone was tentative.

Will’s heart rate sped up tenfold. “S-sure.” 

Nico’s eyes fluttered closed and he leaned forward. As if pulled by an invisible force, Will followed suit, and pressed his lips to Nico’s. 

Their first kiss wasn’t as earth-shattering as it was in Will’s fantasies. There weren’t fireworks or dramatic flourishes of horns and strings, but it was everything a kiss should be: brief and tender, and composed of a thousand what-ifs. 

They pulled apart, faces as red as tomatoes and hearts pounding erratically in their chests. 

“You kissed me,” Will said. 

Nico huffed. “Way to state the obvious, Solace.” 

“No, wait,” Will pressed his fingers to his temples, “That’s not what I meant to say.”

“Still stating the obvious,” Nico pointed out. 

Will exhaled and dropped his hands to his sides. “Please just kiss me again.”

The corners of Nico’s mouth lifted into a smirk. “I’d be happy to oblige.”

Their lips connected once more, this time creating a kiss that felt like the first blossoms of April awakening to a rejuvenated earth after a difficult winter. Will smiled against Nico’s mouth; spring had come. 


End file.
